From an End, to Zero once again
by sephiroth12285
Summary: Years after the Zero Requiem the world tragically did not turn out as Lelouch had hoped, but to change the past to save the future the daughter of a demon shall be sent to correct the past and create a new future...Kallen and Lelouch's daughter.
1. Chapter 1 Daddy's Little Girl

A/N: this is another fic I was working on last year, but I had problems continuing with it after this chapter. Yet I love the idea too much and I wish to continue it so I am posting it at the request of my friends and I hope with enough feedback and suggestions I can continue it. This is based on an idea I had of someone wishing to change what had happened in the series, especially when the future didn't quite turn out as well as Lelouch had hoped so here is the chapter and please enjoy.

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

Daddy's Little Girl

(May 5th 2017 A.T.B)

It was close to nine o'clock at night as a cool wind was blowing across the grassy fields surrounding the Toromo Agency in Cambodia otherwise known as Area 13 to the Holy Britannia Empire. Inside one of the storage warehouses sat a large semi trailer carrying what appeared to be a large replacement water heater unit complete with a tank, but this was merely a clever deception to hide what the device really was.

Standing in front of the a metal box was woman judging by her curvy figure wearing a full black body suit ideal for infiltration purposes complete with a belt containing tools and a few extra ammo clips including a holder for a hunting knife and a radio with a wire running to her head where underneath the black mask she wore was a microphone and earpiece linked to the small device.

As she worked the control panel a warning appears on the computer monitor followed by a female electronic voice speaking.

"Warning…once accepted the silent countdown will begin…are you sure you wish to continue?"

The woman pushed yes on the control panel as a silent countdown for twenty minutes began.

"Thank you…this is the last warning you will receive. The Field Limitary Effective Implosion Armament will detonate in exactly t-minus nineteen minutes and eighty seconds."

Closing the control panel and locking it the woman left the container and proceeded towards her objective which was her planned means of escape as well before the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead detonates. As the woman stealthy made her way through the research facility avoiding detection by the soldiers guarding the facility a flood of memories came to her sudden after activating the silent countdown for the warhead she had just activated.

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><p>(Kaminejima Island; December 15th 2037 A.T.B.)<p>

_Two women were present inside an underground research facility had been constructed in secret and hidden from the rest of the world, a world that now laid in ruins everywhere, but hope remained for the world in this facility where a incredible break through had been made. The creator of the magnificent device that had been freshly built not too long ago was pleased with its successful activation. Now the chance to correct so many mistakes and tragedies was within their grasp. _

"_So your Time Machine is finally finished." A young fifteen year old girl asked with long waist length black hair wearing an Ashford Academy uniform. _

"_Yes…finally we can change the past and correct so many things that went wrong and change the future from the apocalyptic path it was sent towards as a result." An aged Britannian woman replied; she possessed black hair that flowed over her shoulders with some signs of gray hairs around her ears wearing a pair of large glasses wearing a lab coat with a single piece uniform underneath. _

"_I agree…we have to change the past…for the sake of humanity we must." A new and third voice clearly female spoke. _

_The heads of the two women turned and saw the third woman who had come to join them, but she was in terrible shape. A number of broken swords were seen sticking out of her back while the rest of her body was laced with a large number of bullet holes. But despite these extreme injuries it didn't hinder the woman one bit, but the clothes she was wearing had become completely soaked in her own blood to the point that the one purple and gold lined body suit she had been wearing had become red matching her hair color. The black cape she had been wearing was ruined as well. _

_In her right hand was a sword, an oddly ornate blade with a gold tipped blade and a dark pink blade with jewels within it, but the once ceremonial sword used by both the 99th Emperor of Britannia and the man who assassinated him was completely covered in blood as well too. _

"_OH MY GOD MOM, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" The young student called out in horror at the appearance of my mother as tears began forming in her eyes as she ran towards her mother._

"_I am ok sweetie, but I understand why C.C. likely hated being immortal…I can't die, but I still feel the pain from these injuries. But you can bet that didn't stop mommy."_

"_Then you succeeded…you ended the madness." The scientist asked. _

"_Damn right I did…I killed hundreds of their soldiers before I reached them and finally executed the traitors…but…" The red-haired woman had said with triumph in her voice, but as she continued on it died down the further in she got until she was unable to continue her sentence._

"_But the damage has been done…the human race is effectively finished."_

"_Yeah…there are some survivors, but with the damage to the environment and the fact humanity as a whole has been knocked back to the Dark Ages humanity will die a slow death." _

"_We have a chance…the machine its working." _

"_Thank you so much Nina…" _

_The redhead said addressing the Britannian girl she had known since her days as a student at the Ashford Academy. Nina Einstein the creator of the most terrible of weapons had now for the first time in her years of guilt ridden existence ever since her days as student had truly created something that would help humanity. _

"_Mommy…" _

_The young girl cried out while she embraced her blood soaked mother in a tight embrace completely ignoring the fact that she was covered in blood. The woman returned the hug holding her daughter closer to her while tears began to form in her own eyes as well. _

"_I love you Shirley, but…I need you to change now ok…I left you something special." _

_Wiping the tears from her eyes the teenage girl nodded before she hurried off to change. _

_Alone the redhead and Nina began to chat while the scientist brought out a bottle of champagne and two wine glasses. _

"_This will be very hard for her." Nina commented. _

"_I know, but there is no other way. I can't go back and neither can you, but what happens to this timeline once someone does…well…I am happier knowing she'll go."_

"_If they survive the future should turn out to be much better." _

"_I hope so…I am counting on it, but there is no way Lelouch could have known that everything would go so wrong years after his death."_

"_But we will fix it all Kallen…his lies will become true reality."_

_Kallen Kouzuki sighed, but a sense of renewed hope reappeared in her eyes. "I hope so, but my daughter will see to it. Although I regret I won't be there for her…"_

"_I understand, but I wish I could have been there for her too…I would have liked to see Lelouch's reaction to the fact that Shirley is your daughter as well as his." _

_Nina's attempt to lighten Kallen's mood worked as she started laughing before adding. _

"_Forget Lelouch's expression I would have liked to see my past-self's reaction to that little revelation." _

"_Oh good point!" _

_The two women burst into laughter, but it was interrupted when Shirley Lamperouge returned dressed in the new outfit her mother had prepared for her. It was similar to the flight suit her mother Kallen had worn during the Second Battle of Tokyo years before, but instead it was designed to possess elements from Zero's own two-piece body suit such as being white with gold outlines around the edges and the joints. The collar of the body suit redesigned to include a more fashionable collar to allow a white cravat while under it was a sleeveless black turtleneck with a pull up collar to cover up the lower half of the wearer's head and the suit was divided into an upper coat with the lower half possessing combined high-heel boots. _

_Then finally worn over her shoulders was a white cape lined with gold possessing a black interior. _

"_You look excellent Shirley, but you'll need this to complete it." Kallen noted with a smile before using a towel Nina handed her to clean off her hands before opening a box sitting on a table in a corner of the lab where contained inside was a white spiky mask with a black visor identical to the legendary mask of Zero. _

"_This is just like Zero's mask…" _

"_It kinda is, but I had the suit and the mask redesigned since you'll be going into the past to avoid confusion between the two of you. I am passing the mantle of Zero to you my child…just as your father passed the mantle onto another I took up the mantle to stop his successor after he betrayed the legacy…now I am giving it to you to correct the past and create a new and better future for the world." _

"_But I don't know if I can do it…"_

"_You won't be alone…this is something Nina and C.C. created together a couple years ago." Kallen replied trying to comfort the young girl while giving her a small black metallic sphere lined with gold possessing a single red-mono eye on it._

"_What is this?" _

"_This has been codenamed Puck; however he is really an artificial intelligence unit. With help from C.C. we have created this A.I. with the memories of your father so he has more or less been digitally resurrected." _

"_So my dad who I never met has been brought back from the dead and reduced to a metal fish bowl." The dark purple haired woman said mockingly taking the inactive sphere into her hands. _

_Nina and Kallen couldn't help, but laugh._

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><p>Back in the present…or rather the past for Shirley Lamperouge as she had reached the secret research hanger where her target and escape vehicle was waiting for her. From her vantage point behind a few large supply crates she saw six guards separate into three groups near her target the large experimental Knightmare Frame dubbed the IFX-V301 Gawain.<p>

Lying behind her was a Britannian soldier she had managed to sneak up on from behind and drive a knife through the bottom of the man's mouth into his brain ending his life instantly.

She was on the second floor overlooking most of the storage and research hanger where the gigantic Knightmare Frame was stored…she had a clear shot to the cockpit, but Shirley knew she would need to evade the bullets of the guards below.

'_Five minutes…I got to hurry!'_

Taking a deep breath she readied a pair of grenades before pulling the pins and throwing them at the two groups of guards before she began her mad dash across the catwalk towards the Gawain. Armed with the assault rifle she took from the guard she killed she brutally gunned down a guard that stepped out onto the catwalk just as the grenades below her went off killing some of the guards below.

At that moment the alarms went off, not because of the grenades that just went off, but rather because of the other guards she had to kill to reach the hanger had been found. The exploding grenades had now merely provided the means of the other soldiers in the facility of finding their unexpected visitor a lot faster.

Shirley fired blinding to some of the surviving soldiers as she reached the open cockpit of the Knightmare Frame. Once inside she closed the cockpit and began using the machine's stolen activation key and a set of override activation codes that had been hacked from the Toromo Agency's mainframe to activate the massive Knightmare Frame.

The machine came to life as Shirley took the controls and began moving the machine to rush out of the hanger crashing through the doors as the guards behind her was shooting in vain at the fleeing experimental machine. Pulling back on the lever the Float system of the black Knightmare Frame activated allowing the Gawain to take to the sky.

"What the hell is going on? Why aren't the automated turrets and anti-air batteries working? SHOOT IT DOWN!" A Britannian officer on the ground screamed.

"Sir…I don't understand it, but communications and defenses are disabled."

"WHAT!"

In the air flying away from the Toromo Agency…Shirley Lamperouge removed her mask as she was trying to put as much distance between her and the agency as she could after pulling off such a daring heist. In the mountains a safe distance away from the now doomed agency the Gawain landed near an old abandoned stone house with a partially collapsed straw roof.

Walking inside she saw a three laptop computers that had been set up and connected to a mobile satellite transmitter along with a diesel power-generator providing power for the entire set up, but linked to the equipment was a certain metallic sphere.

"Thanks for the help Puck…I got the Gawain and right about now the Toromo Agency is history."

In the distance the familiar growing pink sphere resulting from a FIEJIA bomb could be seen as the entire Toromo Agency had been now wiped off the face of the Earth.

"Very nice…one of our priority targets has been destroyed, so that leaves our other remaining targets."

"Yeah, but with the Gawain after some modifications we can hit the next target as soon as possible before anyone can realize its importance." Shirley replied as Puck disconnected himself from the computers as Shirley began packing up the equipment before moving to uncover two spare batteries hiding behind the house under a camouflage tent built to specifications according to the specs of the Gawain stored within Puck.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves…let's pack up and get out of here."

"Sure!" Shirley replied as she went to work while her mind wandered again into memory.

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><p>A few moments later Nina brought out a large metallic briefcase with wheels on the bottom as Kallen spoke with her daughter once more…for what would likely be the last time.<p>

"_Inside the suitcase is jewels and other gems you can sell and batter with to get started…anything else you need is inside and stored within Puck's memory banks." Nina explained. _

"_I understand, but mom…why can't you come?" _

"_It's because two of the same people cannot exist in the past and since you are not even in existence back then you are the only one who can go." _

_Kallen replied while she was saddened knowing that once her daughter leaves for the past this timeline she and Nina are in now will cease to exist along with them, but her daughter would become part of the timeline in the past so she will be fine and no matter what changes she will not be affected._

"_Shirley, please remember what we talked about when you encounter my past self."_

_Nina replied while knowing what was going to happen soon…the scientist wasn't in the least bit afraid…in fact she was looking forward to what she considered was liberation from all of the sins she has committed. She was even more assured by the fact that Shirley would also see to it those sins would not be repeated. _

"_I understand…hopefully it won't come to the…alterative."_

"_I know, but please do whatever it takes to prevent it." Nina spoke with dead certainty in her voice. _

_Now with suitcase in hand and the mask of Zero upon her head and an inactive Puck under her left arm the frightened teenage girl stood before the activate time portal knowing it was a one way trip._

"_Mom…I…"_

"_I know…I love you. I know you will succeed because you are my daughter and his as well. He was able to change the world, so that means you can change the future." Kallen replied with tears in her eyes while she hugged her daughter before kissing her forehead. "Good bye…" _

_Kallen shoved her daughter through the portal while Nina tossed the suitcase she had let go of while she and Puck passed through the portal ensuring the items she would need would make it to the other side since contained within Puck's memory banks were the design and specs to create FIEJA bomb, but the specs contained were modified along with the designs contained to fulfill very specific purposes…once fulfilled the data would delete itself completely while it was impossible to copy the data from Puck to ensure that once the bombs served their purpose no more could be completed thanks to the additional safeguards and protocols put into place._

_The portal closed as the generators that had sustained it burned out leaving the two women in darkness, but Nina quickly lit a candle she had nearby for when it happened. _

_Kallen went for the campaign bottle and retrieved their glasses. _

"_It should be happening any moment now." Nina said as a smile appeared on her lips. _

"_Yeah…" Kallen replied as she poured herself and Nina one last glass. The immortal redhead began chuckling to herself before raising her glass up. "To the new future Shirley will make…" _

"_Cheers!" Nina replied before gulping the entire glass down in one shot before throwing it to the ground, but soon Nina collapsed as well. Kallen looked upon the lifeless form of her friend knowing that with everything now finished she let go and allowed the disease that had been eating away at her for the past six months finally claim her. _

"_(Sigh)…Rest now on peace, Nina Einstein. God knows that you deserve it…" Kallen said sadly as she knelt down to close the eyes of her friend. "Soon, all of our greatest regrets and sins shall be washed away. . ."_

_Standing back up to her full height Kallen looked at the closed time portal. _

"_I hope I made you proud Lelouch…just like you…I destroyed the world, but our daughter will remake the future and the world anew." _

_Kallen mused as she gulped the entire glass herself before tossing the empty glass to the ground just as the world around them began to turn white. Neither one was afraid since both knew this would happen, but yet they accepted the end gladly knowing with the end of this timeline a new and better future would be born. _

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><p>"Hey Shirley…snap out of it!"<p>

"Huh!" The girl replied coming out of her daze where she had become lost in her memories. "Oh sorry…"

Shirley was back inside the cockpit of the Gawain had finished packing up their equipment and setting charges to dispose of the rest of it they couldn't carry with them inside the black Knightmare Frame. The Gawain rose into the air as the machine headed towards the Pacific Ocean where a specially modified transport ship was waiting.

"You can't be dazing out like that…we got work to do. Now that you have pulled the trigger we need to accelerate the plan and destroy the next targets quickly."

"I know, but we'll succeed."

"What makes you so sure?" Puck replied with a cocky tone of voice.

"Because I am the daughter of the Demon Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia and Kallen Kouzuki…they each possessed the mantle of Zero before me and now I am the new Zero. I will destroy the world and recreate anew as my father did for the sake of the future…I am Shirley vi Britannia the Fourth Zero!"

With those words the Gawain flew off into the night disappearing into the clouds.

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><p>AN: change has already come in one form and more shall happen as Shirley, Lelouch and Kallen's little girl from hell who is as smart as the father and as deadly as a warrior as her mother, the best and worse all wrapped up in one nice package. Naturally Kallen and Lelouch are the pairing and Puck is without doubt an artificial intelligence construct of Lelouch's mind recreated and containing key information and technical specs to aid her. Anyway please review and tell me what you think and I am open for suggestions.


	2. Chapter 2 The times are changing

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews and I purposely left some inconsistency about her exact date of birth and how she was born in order to raise questions about how exactly the daughter of the demon came to be, although she'll lie about them, but later how she was born and why it seemed she was born much later than she should have been will be explained.

Was she a test tube baby or what? Find out in a later chapter.

Also details on how the future went to hell in a hand basket will also be revealed later on.

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

The times are changing

(July 20th 2017 A.T.B.)

The sun was setting in the distance as the sky had taken on a golden hue around the Narita Mountains where about a couple weeks ago a fierce battle was fought that ended with heavy casualties on both sides, but the most was in terms of civilians. Yet now another small scale battle had been fought…it wasn't with guns or swords per se, but rather with a mystic power known as Geass.

Geass…the power of the king, but the power varied from wielder to wielder.

It was by good fortunate and a sudden intervention that the victor emerged alive from the battle, but as for the other a Chinese boy with pale white hair wearing a white trench coat was inside a cable car heading to the bottom of the hill while the victory, his ally and a special friend of his was left at the top as he was slowly descending down the hill.

He still could have claimed victory, but the sight of the boy's ally made him forget his goal completely as he was hopelessly fixated upon the sight of the green-haired woman aiming a handgun at him from the top of the hill watching as his cable car descended.

"You look beautiful C.C. I love the new look!" Mao cried out happily as his eyes were fixed upon the immortal girl standing at the platform watching his car descend. "C.C. I'll come to see you as soon as I can. I promise…I PROMISE!"

Mao screamed frantically, but he failed to notice a red dot upon his hand, but only as the car moved further away from the top of the hill did the Geass wielding mind reader notice.

"What is that, but there is no one else."

Just as Mao turned around the last thing he saw was a rocket fired from an AKF/AT Rocket Launcher with laser guidance precision targeting flying straight at him. It shattered the window seconds away from hitting him in the face.

"But where…did…" Mao tried to say, but his sentence was left unfinished as the rocket hit its target dead on where the resulting explosion engulfed the entire cable car in a fireball explosion. C.C. and those nearby were startled by the explosion, but from her vantage point she spotted someone half way down the rail car tracks…a figure wearing white and a mask before the figure vanished into the trees and bushes disappearing as quickly as unknown killer of Mao had appeared.

'_But how…Mao should have sensed that person's mind, yet even if he was fixated on me at that moment he should have known.'_

Ignoring it for now C.C. turned to Lelouch who was also concerned about the sudden death of the mind-reading Geass user, but he had other things to take care of…namely the crying girl before him.

"Lulu…I am…am sorry."

"It's ok…it's over." Lelouch told her while he held her close to him.

"Lulu I really did kill someone…that's why I…"

"It's because of me it's not your fault."

Lelouch said regretting Shirley Fenette becoming caught in the crossfire which had began when he had accidently killed her father during the battle of Narita in the landslide he had created to use against the Britannian forces and then when Shirley found out his identity tempted to take revenge for her father…she had ended up killing the Britannian soldier who had been using her to get to him because she couldn't bring herself to allow any harm to befall Lelouch.

"And I shot you with your gun."

"I am still alive." Lelouch replied as Shirley broke down completely into tears.

"I did it!"

"Shirley…any sin you committed is mines to bear."

"I wanted you to be kind to me."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing…even through my father died."

Moving away from her and holding her shoulders Lelouch spoke again as he felt his heart ache at what he knew what he had to do.

"It's time to forget all of the bad things that has happened."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can…I'll help you forget all of this."

"Impossible…"

"Shirley I am sorry about your father…if I could be reborn into a new life I would." Lelouch said as his Geass in his left eye became active.

"Lulu…no…don't!" Shirley screamed, but it was no use.

"Forget everything about me!" Lelouch spoke as the order was cast, but watching them from the shadows was Puck before floating away silently.

At that moment sitting inside a black four door car was Shirley Lamperouge having finished switching back to normal attire after dropping the rocket launcher she used in the trunk, but while she waited for Puck to return she drew out some documents from the glove compartment to examine them.

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><p>(Six days ago)<p>

Taizo Kirihara one of the six leaders of Kyoto was entering his limo after concluding his meeting with Zero and some members of the Black Knight's senior leadership. A smile remained on his face after learning the leader was none other than the same banished Britannian Prince now bent on destroying Britannia.

'_Likely for his sister's sake…'_

Kirihara thought as limo engine was turned on, but upon entering his limo he found another passenger present inside sitting in the seat across from him. Before him dressed in what could be described as a almost all white, with some black on parts of it such as the cape, version of the costume Zero wore while the mask was completely black possessing a silver variant of the Geass sigil upon it instead of gold to match the inverted gold for silver.

"Lord Kirihara, could I have a moment of your time? I have a very interesting proposition for you."

"Who are you…are you with Zero?"

"No I am not affiliated with the Black Knights nor Zero, but relax I mean you no harm."

The old Japanese man was hesitant at first, but after a moment of careful consideration he replied. "I understand, but what exactly are you proposing?"

"You are already agreeing to support the Black Knights, but I also wish to join in supporting them as well. I can also provide Kyoto with new weapons, technology and outside information as well as additional funding you can provide to the Black Knights as well."

"I see…what kind of weapons?"

"Everything is inside that black briefcase." The female Zero replied pointing to a leather case sitting on the seat next to Kirihara. "I understand that the Kyoto Group has a production contract with the Militarized India Zone with Rakshata Chawla heading development of your own Knightmare Frames using her creation the Guren Mk II as a base. The plans inside are enhanced models of the Gekka units, Akatsuki Knightmare Frames which you'll find superior and stronger than the Gekka. Not to mention the notes and additional funds I'll be providing you will allow for streamlined mass production."

"How did you find out?"

"I have my ways Lord Kirihara…my intelligence and information has helped many especially in the European Union…have you heard of Lady Morgana?"

"Lady Morgana?" Kirihara replied as he thought about the name for a moment before a look of realization appeared on his face. "You mean the mysterious woman providing tactical information and knowledge of Britannia's movements which has allowed the EU to push back Britannia, the same Lady Morgana?"

"The same…and now she wishes to offer information and knowledge that will enable Zero to win against Britannia. The briefcase also includes some interesting tidbits you'll need to pass along to General Katase…he and the remains of the JLF will be planning to flee to China on a tanker full of liquid sakuradite. The documents inside contain notes and information that I highly advise that he follows before you call upon the Black Knights. I will be forwarding similar information to them very shortly."

"I see…I'll look over the documents you have provided and discuss it with the other family heads."

"Thank you Lord Kirihara."

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><p>Returning to the present Shirley shuffled the documents back into the glove compartment which contained a letter from Taizo Kirihara who had informed her of the other members of Kyoto agreeing to her requests and the offer of Lady Morgana's assistance, but they were not aware of the fact that Shirley was in fact Lady Morgana who had been using Puck's stored information of future events including the tactical genius of Lelouch vi Britannia combined with his electronic brain's vastly superior processing power. The Lelouch A.I. or rather Puck as his name was had begun helping the EU beat back the Britannian advance giving them a chance to win provided they kept following his instructions to the letter.<p>

It was thanks to C.C.'s efforts that her father had been _electronically_ resurrected in his current metallic form with her developments and refinements from Nina Einstein who created his shell for the mind of Shirley's father, but Nina took it further by downloading into his digital mind schematics, designs and information pretending to upcoming Knightmare Frame models used by both the Black Knights and the Britannia Empire as well as the dangerous FIEJA warhead.

However a carefully set of protocols and directives were put in place to aid both Shirley and prevent the digitally recreated Lelouch vi Britannia, the Demon Emperor, from going off the proper path. This was especially so since Puck possessed full technical knowledge of the dreaded FIEJA warhead and one of his protocols were that it prevented the knowledge from his mind being downloaded to any computers and during the production of the key warheads to be used any possible evidence that could be found to produce more than the set amount of warheads were thoroughly removed by Puck.

Even the warheads they had produced were designed in such a way that it was impossible to examine one to reproduce them unless one wanted to active one of the warhead's fail safes and get blown to hell.

Considering other thoughts including how to proceed now since she took a major step and took out Mao, although he would have been killed eventually by C.C.'s hand no less it was determined that he had to die so that Lelouch wouldn't waste his time and efforts dealing with him. Although this deprived him of learning the more dangerous consequences of his Geass power, but Shirley intended to correct that soon.

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><p>A few days later back at the Ashford Academy, despite the run in with Mao ending suddenly with someone whom the Geass user had failed to detect assassinating him Lelouch was on high alert as he set up security cameras and tried to increase his time with Nunnally worried that whoever had killed Mao might come after him.<p>

He had questioned C.C. about the Chinese young man and found out a few things that he had wished the witch had told him about sooner, but the logical part of his mind reprimanded him for not thinking about it.

'_Ever since I received this Geass I never considered the possible dangers of its use or if there was any kind of fine print in the contract C.C. made with me.' _

Lelouch thought as he remembered after talking to C.C. about Mao finding out that one danger of the Geass power he had now was the fact that the more he uses it the more powerful it becomes until he loses control of it causing to eventually become activated permanently just like Mao. If that were to happen to Lelouch then anything he could say to a person face to face could be regarded as an order.

The possible consequences of what could happen were concerning to say the least.

At the moment Lelouch was seated in class with Rivalz sitting next to him as class was about to begin for the day, but as the teacher came into the room a new student was following him. Shirley entered the room dressed in the female attire of a Britannian student, but as she entered she noticed her father in the corner of her eye.

Or rather the man who would be her father, but speaking of fathers the woman spotted the woman who would be her mother Kallen.

"Students I would like to introduce a new student beginning here today…introduce yourself young lady."

"I am starting at the Ashford Academy today…I am Shirley Caulfield, it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Unsurprisingly the male students in the room were already attracted to the woman, because she was one knock out of a woman with an attractive figure. However her light blue eyes were strangely familiar to some students in the classroom along with her black hair. Even Lelouch felt the girl was strangely familiar to him somehow, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"So buddy see something new you like?" Rivalz Cardemonde spoke sitting next to him.

"It's nothing like that, but…I am having this weird feeling I met that girl somewhere before." Lelouch admitted.

"Oh, is she an old acquaintance or something like that?"

"I don't know?"

Lelouch was puzzled by her appearance as she just seemed familiar somehow while Kallen for a brief moment experienced a similar feeling, but unlike Lelouch she brushed it off.

As the day went on, C.C. was currently in her main area of residence which was Lelouch's room after picking up a box of pizza that was delivered to her in the early afternoon of the day. Although the immortal diet consisted of pizza, but the oddity of her receiving this pizza was the fact that she didn't order it. But since it was free she accepted it and who honesty would turn down free food…especially free pizza.

But after consuming it she found a concealed message within the pizza.

'_If you wish to meet the one who killed Mao and make a possible ally to achieve your own desire for death then come to the boiler room at the girl's dormitory. Be there at 3 pm…signed Puck.'_

C.C glanced at the clock and saw it was twenty minutes away and with classes still in session until a little after 3pm sneaking to the boiler room would be easy. After changing into another pair of clothes the green haired woman sunk into woman's dormitory after carefully sneaking her way across campus to the building where just as she hoped no one was there.

Once she was inside the boiler room she saw an old clock on the way reading 3pm.

"Alright…I am here…where are you?"

"C.C I must say it's been awhile."

"Lelouch?"

"In a matter of speaking, but in a sense it is me." Puck replied as he floated into view as the immortal woman was surprised by the floating mechanical sphere. "Would you rather I refer to you by your real name…" Puck spoke C.C's real name just as a hissing sound from some of the pipes echoed through the room.

Lelouch had been the only one to know her real name, albeit by accident, but how did the talking computer before her know it.

"What are you?"

"I am Lelouch, but more specifically his mind and…inner being downloaded into a computerized robot body possessing more processing and computing power than any currently existing supercomputer systems. I am in a way Lelouch 2.0, but with…vastly high-tech capabilities."

"An artificial intelligence?"

"That's a simple way to put it, but more importantly I come from the future."

"You're joking right?" C.C said as she was looking at Puck with a blank expression upon her face.

"I am quite serious, after all I knew your real name and if immortal witches and the power Geass are considered fictional by many then time travel is possible."

"Then say time travel is possible then why are you here then?"

"We are here to change the past."

"WE?"

Stepping out from the shadows was Shirley who kept a fairly neutral expression on her face, but yet on the inside the young woman was feeling very conflicted upon seeing the immortal woman once again. Besides Kallen her mother, Jeremiah, Anya and Sayoko who all had a hand in raising her C.C was the one she was closet besides her mother.

'_Onee-sama!' _

"C.C, please allow me to introduce the daughter of Lelouch vi Britannia, Shirley vi Britannia."

'_His daughter?'_

"You're different, but...it's nice to see you again C.C."

"Perhaps this will help clarify some things; I was given programmed instructions to deliver this video message."

"From who?"

"From you of course…"

Connecting himself to a twenty inch television set sitting on a wooden table in a corner of the room the metal sphere used a tiny mechanical hand to turn on the TV set before a recorded video message began playing. On the screen was obviously the C.C from the future sitting on a bed while behind her sound asleep was an eleven year old Shirley.

"Hello myself or I should say my dumber past counterpart?"

The C.C of the past's right eye began twitching while she thought.

'_That figures that I'm capable of even pissing off myself.'_

"I hope you are not finding all of this too much for your old mind to wrap itself around." C.C from the future began while poking fun and insulting her past self. "I won't tell you everything that happened…it would be a bit much and yet dangerous at the same time, but what you do need to know is that Lelouch, Kallen and Euphemia must survive so the madness that will come after Lelouch succeeds in destroying Britannia and making the world a better place for his sister. Unfortunately…he didn't live to see it happen, the dreamer died for his dream."

C.C was stunned by this information as her future self continued.

"I won't go into details on that, but I don't want to over complicate things. It was events that took place after his demise that saw the entire world go to hell…even leading to the end of pizza around the world. THIS MUST BE PREVENTED!"

The future immortal declared showing the past immortal pictures of destroyed Pizza Hut establishments to drive her point home.

"Shirley and Puck will provide you with information that needs to get passed along to Lelouch, but its best for right now he doesn't find out about any of this."

"So you two intend to the change the future…well if Pizza Hut was wiped out then the future must have really gone to hell."

"You have no idea…" Shirley said solemnly.

Later that afternoon as C.C. snuck back to the Student Council Clubhouse after being promised a supply of free pizza for her help, Shirley and Puck were left alone as the two began talking to one another. To ease discussion between them Puck used a holographic projector to project a self-digital image of himself as Lelouch when he was the 99th Emperor of Britannia dressed in his white regal robes minus the hat.

"C.C has always been an unpredictable factor, but I think she'll work for us as long as we don't reveal too much?"

"Do you think my father will find out?"

"It's possible, but we'll see."

"What about V.V?"

"We'll need to deal with him eventually, but now isn't the time. I think we have inflicted enough damage by destroying some of the Thought Elevators around the world. If we can destroy at least one more Thought Elevator then any chance of their plan to kill god will fail completely, but from my data the Ragnarok Connection should be impossible now since the number of remaining Thought Elevators is now insufficient for the Sword of Akasha to function. I just wonder if the Geass Order realizes that their plans have been ruined?"

"But we should at least destroy one more just to be sure." Shirley asked wishing to confirm.

"Better safe than sorry I say."

"I am fine with that and if any Geass users from the Order come I am ready for them."

"Of course…you have the Geass Canceller just like Jeremiah did, but yours is an improved one."

"I know and if my father does find out then this will help us out…at least to keep him from forcing too much information out of me."

"Indeed, but the question that must be asked is…what happens next?"

Shirley lips curved into the classic Lelouch grin before answering.

"It's anything goes at this point."

"Coming up it is the execution of Kyoshiro Tohdoh, but things are different now that a double of General Katase died on that ship instead of the real one. As far as most people know the man is dead, but in truth we know he's in the Chinese Federation right now with Li Xingke."

"Any emails from the old men about Gawain?"

"I received one not too long ago reporting the modifications are nearly complete."

"Then at Tohdoh's execution…I'll appear and execute Suzaku Kururugi instead, for the sake of the future he must die."

Shirley said coldly as her face hardened while her eyes burned with a desire for vengeance. She knew what that man had done how he had taken the world his father had sacrificed so much for and then destroyed it. The hologram avatar of Puck stood there while trying to calculate how best to proceed and what precautions they could take.

But yet the artificial intelligence had his focus upon the young woman noticing her hardened face of determination. If all goes well then perhaps they could eliminate the one problem that has interfered with much of Lelouch's plans and clear a number of conditions.

'_I'll kill you Suzaku Kururugi…in the name of my father…you will die.' _

The Daughter of the Demon thought while she would kill the man who took everything from her. Her father, her mother and her future…Suzaku will pay. Even if his past counterpart hasn't committed any of the terrible sins his future self had done the infamous traitor will die for the sake of the future, so her father could live this time around.

* * *

><p>AN: first thanks to Holyknight5 and Pacifism for the Birds for suggestions and inspiration to help get chapter two finished and Pacifism for suggestions on a few aspects of the story, but you guys will see it as the story unfolds. With C.C. helping them now and promises to free pizza to navigate Lelouch in the right direction, but how long until he finds out.

Shirley out to kill Suzaku, but will she succeed?

Read and review and tell me what you think.

*Special Omake/Deleted Scene*

C.C is standing before a ruin where the remains of a building that had a large Cheese-Kun statue as a landmark for the Pizza Hut Restaurant, the last one to be destroyed. Upon seeing it the immortal flew into a rage while falling to her knees.

"Those maniacs, THEY BLEW IT UP...THEY DESTROY THEM ALL, YOU BASTARDS!"


	3. Chapter 3 Zero times two

A/N: at long last I finished the next update for this story, but it's for the best it took me some time so I could work on making it better. Thank you to all who reviewed and after this Zero will likely be very suspicious about the appearance of a new player in the game.

Without further delay here is the chapter.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

Zero times Two

A week later after the new female student had arrived at Ashford Academy, but despite the appearance of a new student the school overall didn't change much other than some male students trying and failing to asking the new girl out on a date. As for Lelouch there was actually one obvious change that seemed to have happened which was the fact that C.C was consuming more pizza than normal, but what drew his attention was that she wasn't using his credit card to buy those pizzas.

'_I wonder if she has started borrowing from someone else or found another means to acquire pizza.' _

Lelouch thought, but his thoughts were interrupted when his phone began ringing. Recognizing the phone number, the young man went up a few floors into the empty stairwell where he attached a voice changer before accepting the call.

"This is Zero…go ahead Ohgi."

"Zero I know this is unexpected, but the Four Holy Swords arrived not too long ago with an invitation from Kyoto." Kaname Ohgi began, Zero's Deputy Commander of the Black Knights.

"Go on…"

"Kyoshiro Tohdoh was captured, but he sacrificed himself so they could escape. Now Kyoto has sent them to us hoping we can help recues him. We have information they brought to us revealing where they are keeping him…it's just a matter of getting him out."

"I see…very well we will help them." Lelouch replied.

"Are you sure?" Ohgi asked.

"The Black Knights fight for the cause of Justice there is nothing odd about that." Lelouch answered before giving Ohgi instructions. "We'll use assembly method B-13, take the Knightmares via course 18…you have Diethard handle it. Also alert those to rendezvous with us…I'll meet you all later."

Once Lelouch was done he hung up the phone.

'_Perfect with any luck today two chess pieces I have wanted will be mine today and with any luck a third.'_

* * *

><p>Elsewhere inside her room she managed to reserve for herself thanks to Puck's manipulation of the computer networks within the school, although some bribes helped as well too, sat Shirley who was planning out tonight's assassination plan to take out Suzaku. Although C.C would send any additional information, but if Lelouch's plan to break Tohdoh out of prison and his counterattack plan against the Lancelot remains the same then her own plan will work. Yet Shirley wasn't going to take any chances and wanted to be certain to cover for any possible unexpected factors or conditions that could pop up such as the Black Knights attacking her.<p>

The thought was unlikely since their target was the Lancelot, but given how her father was noted to have hesitated back in she had to safely consider the possibility of her father ordering the Black Knights to attack her.

It was unlikely, but with so much riding on Suzaku's demise the young woman couldn't leave anything to chance.

Yet as a precaution she just wouldn't end Suzaku's life she would destroy the trust the Japanese had for him. Or rather any remaining trust they might have had for him thus hopefully killing Euphemia's attempt at a Special Administrative Zone of Japan.

"Having second thoughts about the plan? You have gone over it forty times." Puck inquired.

"Kinda, because I want to get him the first chance I'll have and be done with the bastard."

"Just calm yourself Shirley. Remember we have other ways to destroy Suzaku, and I don't mean physically."

"I understand, but I would rather just terminate his traitorous hide and be done with it."

"Then you can only wait and see what happens later tonight." Puck began while there was a high chance Suzaku could be killed, but if not they had a backup plan just in case that would destroy him in another way.

"Then as planned we will launch an attack on a nearby Britannian Garrison base which will draw away from some of the forces at the prison and hopefully the Lancelot. If not…I have another way to make sure it comes to you." Puck replied.

"Alright, but I think we should check the layout and deployment patter of the Britannian Troops in the area before the operation later tonight."

"I agree," Puck answered as a short time later in another corner of the Academy was Lelouch sitting in a chair quietly watching Suzaku and Nunnally together. Although Mao had been killed, however the incident was an eye opener for Lelouch. Given that Mao was manipulating Shirley against him it made the possible danger of Nunnally being used as a hostage against him crystal clear, a dangerous liability he couldn't ignore.

Although a simple solution would be to simply move Nunnally to another location, but C.C. and Lelouch already had this discussion and it was completely out of the question. In fact it ended with Lelouch not properly heeding her warnings as far as the green haired woman was concerned, but Lelouch had no intention of ignoring them yet the reason he didn't act on the advice was a completely different matter.

It was because of Nunnally herself that Lelouch didn't simply move her to a safe place.

Had Lelouch prioritized Nunnally's safety over everything else then relocating her to a safe place would be easy, but there was a problem that Lelouch alone had considered that C.C. didn't even think about. Simply put it was Nunnally Lamperouge's mental health, because unlike Lelouch who could likely abandon the academy at anytime Nunnally needed the academy. Following the demise of their mother in the event that cost Nunnally her eyesight and her ability to walk, adjusting to the radical change in her life was difficult.

In fact that was probably an understatement of the century, Lelouch recalled times when Nunnally would throw a tantrum usually wrecking whatever room she was in. It wasn't so much that she was misbehaving or anything like that, but rather it was because there wasn't much of anything Nunnally could do. She was in every sense of the word completely helpless. Now years later thanks to being around others her age and living a more sociable life despite her disabilities has helped stabilize Nunnally's mental health.

_She has just begun to finally smile again, so how can I take her away from this? _

That was the problem Lelouch was facing.

Puck, C.C. and even Shirley were of course aware of this as well, but now their focus was on disposing of Suzaku Kururugi and then eliminating the last of the Thought Elevators before moving to take V.V. out of the equation permanently. Shirley walked over to a window and gazed at the School Clubhouse with an uneasy expression as she saw sitting at a table near the door was Nunnally and her target for tonight's mission Suzaku.

She knew his death was required to make sure her father's survival and to see his plans succeed, but a part of her was torn knowing that regardless of her reasons her Aunt Nunnally would be heartbroken while Lelouch would be mixed. If he learned the Lancelot's pilot was Suzaku then he might be more forgiving of his demise, but still…

_No matter what I don't think he would take it well. _

"Something wrong," Puck inquired.

"No, but I know Nunnally would be upset…but what about Lelouch. I think my only concern is," Shirley began but Puck interrupted her.

"He would be shaken and hurt a little, but not as much as he was when he was told Shirley's father was killed at Narita. Regardless we must go ahead and kill Suzaku Kururugi," Puck replied sharply interrupting the young woman.

"Yes…I understand, but I should leave to prepare for tonight."

"Very well, but we should both go."

"Ok," Shirley replied taking one last look at the scene before leaving.

* * *

><p>Outside Lelouch was sitting on a chair observing Nunnally and Suzaku. It was a few days ago when the incident with Mao had taken place. Lelouch had no idea who had killed him with the rocket launcher, but the young man was on his toes ever since mindful of the possibility that someone else was targeting him. He considered the possibility that Mao was the assassin's target, but he was taking no chances and was installed cameras around the clubhouse as a precaution. Yet it served as a reminder for Lelouch that if he wasn't going to relocate Nunnally to a save place then he needed someone who could be by her side and watch over her.<p>

The only person who could fulfill that role was Suzaku.

It obviously wasn't his military background, but given how comfortable that Nunnally was around him and the fact that Suzaku was fully aware of the situation he and Nunnally was in made him the ideal and only choice for Lelouch to have Suzaku become Nunnally's protector. Admits their laughing and conversation Lelouch watched them while in deep thought.

_If things keep proceeding as plan then I won't be able to stay with Nunnally for much longer, but I need someone to protect Nunnally. _

As Lelouch was thinking Suzaku took notice that he was watching them.

"Lelouch?"

"Suzaku…I need to tell you," Lelouch began but fate stepped in as a young woman in her early twenties was quickly approaching calling out Suzaku's name.

"Suzaku," Called Cecile Croomy as she arrived on the steps of the clubhouse.

"Who is that," Lelouch inquired.

"She is from my unit."

"Lloyd says it's urgent," Cecile said as the young woman was clearly out of breath as she came to a stop to catch her breath and compose herself. "Are these friends of yours?"

"Yes…"

"I am sorry I need to pull Suzaku away for awhile," Cecile said being considerate.

"I understand," Suzaku said being apologetic for having to leave.

"Please come again Suzaku," Nunnally said happily.

"I will," Suzaku said as he was beginning to leave but Lelouch stopped him.

"Suzaku…when you return there is something I want to discuss, it's an important matter."

"Uh-oh I am nervous…I'll talk to you when I get back."

Suzaku hurried off following Cecile, but once the two were out of sight Nunnally spoke.

"Well it seems that Suzaku is important to them I am glad."

"Nunnally," Lelouch began turning to his sister. "You seem fond of Suzaku am I right?"

"I adore him," Nunnally replied happily before adding. "But I still love you more than anyone."

"I see," Lelouch said while her first response did surprise him, but the decision was made. Suzaku would become Nunnally's protector. Unknown to the young man Shirley was silently departing from the school with Puck hidden inside of a duffel bag, but it was fortunate for her that he was made of durable but lightweight materials.

_I am sorry father, but it's for the future and your sake as well as Nunnally's. _

* * *

><p>Later that evening after the sun had set over the Chofu Maximum Security Prison where Kyoshiro Tohdoh was being held, but tonight would be his execution at the hands of Suzaku Kururugi ordered by Princess Cornelia to determine the young man's loyalty because he was piloting one of Britannia's most potent prototype weapons. If she had the power she would remove Suzaku from the pilot seat, but unfortunately the division in which Suzaku belonged to wasn't under her authority which irked her.<p>

But she could still determine his loyalty through having him execute his mentor.

Hence at that moment a trembling Suzaku Kururugi was sitting in-between Cecile and Lloyd while the latter being his superior was signing form after form. Although the Viceroy ordered it there were some formalities that had to be followed, a change in executioner was one of them. Unknown to them Lelouch as Zero was planning on launching a daring rescue mission to save Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh's life, but Shirley as Rei knew how everything was going to do down.

In response Kyoto and she with help from Puck planned out an expansion to the rescue Lelouch would attempt. Everything was ready a floating high above the Gawain lurking in the clouds hanging over the Prison. Shirley wearing her own variation of the Zero suit sat in the pilot's seat while above her linked to the Druid System handling weapons control was Puck. On the bottom right hand corner of the screen was the current time…in five minutes the attack by the Four Holy Swords would begin.

Down below planted at areas around the prison, but more specifically at the wing of the prison where the guards were sitting down in the cafeteria while a shift change was also in progress. At the moment the Four Holy Swords begin their attack, explosives planted in that wing of the prison would detonate killing some of the guards and adding to the confusion and chaos that would sweep through the prison. Shirley would make her own presence known at that time and finish off the mess hall for the guards.

Other bombs were planted around the prison almost a month in advance for tonight meant to further that chaos, but it served a secondary purpose while Shirley checked through a small PDA she was carrying as she was receiving notifications that the men Kyoto sent to aid in the operation she had planned out with them were in place. Now it was simply up to her to kill Suzaku.

"If something goes wrong and Suzaku survives we have our contingency plan in place," Puck said anticipating what Shirley was thinking.

"I know, but I intend to kill him tonight and be done with him."

"True, but my only concern is facing him in the Gawain may not be the most ideal unit to face the Lancelot with."

"We'll worry about that when the Lancelot appears, but have you gained access into the Prison's Computer systems?"

"I already have complete control over their systems."

"Excellent…we got a few minutes it's time to get into position."

* * *

><p>Down below inside the warden's office Lloyd was unhappily finishing one form after signing his signature on it before the warden took it away and presented another form much to the displeasure of the Major and Nobleman.<p>

"You need my signature again?"

"Even through Viceroy Cornelia ordered this there is still some formalities to be followed. A change in executioner is the most exceptional of circumstances," The warden replied while Cecile cast a chance at a visibly disturbed and trembling Suzaku who had been called to the prison to execute his own former mentor and probably someone who was close to being a second father for him.

Suddenly an explosion outside interrupted Suzaku's thoughts as the warden panicked.

"What was that," The warden exclaimed before looking outside seeing a large explosion had just erupted from the far side of the prison at the rear gate. "What happened?"

"Good we're now free of this hellish paper work," Lloyd replied casually.

* * *

><p>At the corner of the prison were the explosion took place six Sutherlands arrived to investigate, but they quickly came under attack by brand new Knightmare Frames similar to the Guren-Mk II now in possession of the Black Knights. The Type-3F Gekka the future mass production model of Knightmare Frames created by Japan using data from the Guren as the four machines piloted by the Four Holy Swords were easily slicing through the Sutherlands attempting to stop them.<p>

"Colonel we're coming," Nagisa Chiba said from the cockpit of her machine.

"These Gekka are awesome, way superior to Burais." Shougo Asahina commented after taking down another Sutherland.

"You got that right," Kousetsu Urabe said in agreement.

* * *

><p>In the sky above the Gawain was slowly approaching the prison as it had the mess hall used by the guards in its sights.<p>

"Puck, it seems that it's time to grant some people their freedom back…would you do the honors?" Shirley asked.

"Gladly," The A.I. commented before putting their plan into action.

Suddenly a chain of explosions erupted throughout the base while at the same time in all other wings except for the one Tohdoh was being held in which had been cleared of prisoners for security reasons the cells holding various prisoners, except for a small few deemed too dangerous or had committed truly heinous crimes, were opening up automatically while a computer virus was causing havoc in their computers.

"Zero returns freedom to those who deserve it!"

A pre-recorded voice declared as the prisoners being set free were members of resistance movements brought down by Cornelia, there were even some members of the JLF among those being freed along with others selected and chosen in advance by Kyoto. The second set of explosions that tore through some of the prison's wings created a pathway to freedom for the prisoners were trucks manned by agents from Kyoto were waiting with new identifications, money and new clothes waiting for them.

A total of three hundred prisoners were being set free.

But the situation still got worse as two intense beams of heat were unleashed upon the wing that serve as the mess hall for the guards and their armory which had already been riddled with explosions that went off a few seconds after the Four Holy Swords began their attack. Lloyd and Cecile's eyes went wide as the Gawain was seen floating in the air above the section of the prison it had just wiped out.

"Lloyd isn't that the Gawain?"

"Yes, but," Lloyd began as his voice was trembling slightly as he saw the prototype unit he had designed which was presumed destroyed when the Toromo Institute in Cambodia where it was kept was destroyed. But now it has suddenly reappeared with its experimental Hadron Cannons fully operational where originally the powerful weapons were incomplete and not functioning properly.

It wasn't widely known what happened, but Lloyd was among those who were told of what had happened to the Toromo Institute.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the part of the prison where Tohdoh was being kept the guard on duty was given orders by the warden to execute him immediately before the military officer could be set free. Unknown to him at that moment Zero inside a custom Burai styled to be a command unit in the company of the red prototype Guren-Mk II were on the other side of the wall.<p>

"Kallen, break the wall using the Guren."

"Huh," Kallen exclaimed in surprise worried she might harm or even kill Tohdoh.

"If it is at this angle then there shouldn't be much damage to the cell," Lelouch replied. If Tohdoh didn't survive then the man simply didn't have the right kind of luck.

Kallen did as she was instructed and the wall crumbled. When the dust cleared sitting in his cell was one man wearing a prison uniform looking at the two Knightmare Frames in surprise having not been expecting he was going to be rescued in time. Lelouch exited his Burai standing up looking down at Tohdoh as the young man was grinning inside the mask.

"Zero…" Tohdoh said as he examined the masked man with a curious gaze.

"Kyoshiro Tohdoh, the only man who seven years ago brought the mighty Britannian Empire to its knees in defeat."

"You mean the Miracle of Itsukushima," Tohdoh asked while his expression showed signs of self-mockery. "You wish for me to perform a miracle for you as well?"

"That was no miracle," Lelouch flat-out declared before adding. "That battle ended in victory because it was based on excellent intelligence work that is why I want you."

"I pledged my loyalty to General Katase, but now that he is dead I wish to die too."

"DON'T BE A COWARD!"

Lelouch shouted suddenly.

"WHAT!"

"You must take responsibility, responsibility for the miracle you have created." Lelouch replied before continuing. "The Area 11 resistance is more intense than that of any other Area because Japan surrender before exhausting its military strength. You failed to continue the Miracle of Itsukushima."

"You are saying it's my fault?"

"Yes, people grasp at illusions because they are desperate for miracles. Why else there has been rampant use of Refrain," Lelouch said as Tohdoh looked at the masked man intently. "You must endeavour until the bitter end beyond all that is decent then you can die, until the name of Tohdoh the Miracle has grown ragged and tattered."

"You are telling me that the Japanese people cannot accept their defeat until then?"

"Until now they had to, but now that I am here I can turn their dreams into reality," Lelouch replied prompting Tohdoh to smile.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the sky above the prison Shirley was looking at the time as by now Lelouch will have recruited Tohdoh which meant the Lancelot should be making its appearance at any time once Tohdoh boards his new custom machine.<p>

"Let us move into position," Puck advised noticing the time.

"Understood," Shirley replied bringing the Gawain to a higher altitude repositioning the machine for its attack on the Lancelot.

* * *

><p>Around the same time at the Clovis Memorial Art Gallery, Princess Euphemia li Britannia was not too long ago was about to award the winner of an art contest with the grand prize although the winner was chosen without Euphemia's consent so the contest was rigged. But Euphemia was hesitating as she stood before the row of paintings unable to move and award the winning painting which she felt didn't deserve it. But now something else had the news reporters attention as the murmur in the hall was drying down while next to her General Anders Dalton, Cornelia vi Britannia right hand man and the military chief of staff of Area 11. Cornelia and her knight was now off in another part of the country handling another resistance group, so Dalton was left in the Tokyo Settlement to help manage things alongside Sub-Viceroy Euphemia.<p>

The museum they were in was a safe distance away from the prison, but the quick eared journalist and news reporters got their information from their sources while Dalton was using a dedicated communication line speaking with military headquarters.

"Their goal is most likely Tohdoh. Yes close all the main roads in that area. Yes its military post number 19 and have the airborne unit that was on standby head there." Dalton said as he gave instructions calmly as he listened to the response on the other end. "I know…the security forces at the prison need to hold out. What…wiped out, but…never mind what about the ASEEC should be there now correct? They are launching the Lancelot already; no it's fine it's an emergency after all."

Euphemia was standing near Dalton while her face was pale still holding the first prize banquet tightly in her hands.

"I need the details from on site, connect me with the prison security forces or the warden. Just get me someone on site. What? A plane from the television network," Dalton said as at that moment across the stage was a large framed monitor turned on showing breaking news footage of the prison break happening at Chofu in real-time thanks to the television set having a satellite uplink allowing it to get live footage the news network was broadcasting.

"Who authorized this?" Dalton demanded as the Museum Staff hurried off to the equipment room. "Yeah, we confirmed it on our side as well," Dalton said returning to his call while on the other end the man he was talking to offer an explanation. "An outdoor concert eh? I see, so the television network had a plane in the area covering the concert…No there is no need to control the press at this point. Now that is has been aired controlling the information is useless now. Besides I can get information on the site from this broadcast at least. Let them show the footage I'll communicate with the airborne unit as needed, just send everything we got to Chofu. Lend support to Kururugi and make them report we are wiping out the terrorist."

* * *

><p>At that moment the Lancelot was entering the battlefield where moments ago the newly freed Tohdoh was brought to his own waiting custom Gekka, but Suzaku didn't waste the opening he had as he fired a single Slash-Harken at Lelouch's Burai. However Kallen swiftly blocked it with her machine's prong knife before the Lancelot retracted the slash-harken as it was rapidly approaching the group of Knightmare Frames.<p>

"Damn what's he doing here?" Kallen commented on an open communication line between the Black Knight machines.

"Well how convenient, the one problem left has come here on its own." Lelouch replied with a grin as this was a golden opportunity for him to get rid of the Lancelot once and for all as it had interfered with his plans one too many times.

Suzaku began his attack using the Lancelot's VARIS (variable ammunition repulsion impact spitfire) rifle to fire on one of the approaching Gekka Knightmare Frames moving to attack. But after quickly dodging the shot the Gekka advanced on the Lancelot swinging its Seidotou brake blade sword, however the Lancelot blocked it with its Blaze Luminous MSV particle shield. Suzaku tried to shoot the attack unit, but the Gekka dodged the close range shot skillfully.

* * *

><p>Watching the battle from the safety of the warden's office using a pair of binoculars, Lloyd was observing the new machines with interesting as they were proving to be a match for the Lancelot.<p>

"Those new enemy machines are certainly amazing, but Miss Cecile."

"Yes," Cecile inquired turning to Lloyd.

"In hindsight it's fortunate that the Lancelot trailer is our primarily means of transportation."

"No it's because you spent our entire budget on the Lancelot itself, so that is hindsight."

* * *

><p>Shirley was ready to attack, but as long as the Lancelot was armed with its rifle and considering its maneuverability it had the advantage. But knowing how things would play out the young woman decided to bide her time as she knew now that her father was relaying to Tohdoh and the others counter measures he had devised to counter the Lancelot. A few moments later Shirley watched what she had seen on computer simulations Puck has shown her play out in real-life before her as the white machine began moving on its known path that had happened in the distant past for her, but it was present day for them.<p>

_Ok right now the Lancelot will be charging forward with its sword…it never faints that first move. _

After Suzaku missed the Guren with its MVS (maser vibration sword) and jumped away it acted according to Shirley and Lelouch's prediction of its movements.

_After dodging the Lancelot will move to avoid the enemy counter attack._

Lancelot did just that as it leapt into the air to evade a possible counterattack, but this time someone has predicted the Lancelot moves as one of the Gekka's moved in quickly using its sword to knock the rifle from its hands removing the Lancelot's long-range combat options. In response the Lancelot quickly retreated to the rear, but once again another Gekka was waiting for the white machine.

Tohdoh in his custom machine emerged from around the corner with sword in hand to deliver a finishing blow.

_But sadly Suzaku having trained with Tohdoh knows his fighting style and can thus…recognize his incoming attack. _

Shirley thought as this was the one thing Lelouch couldn't have predicted as he up to this point was unaware of the Lancelot pilot's identity. The girl wondered how different things might have turned out had Lelouch possessed that information. Regardless Tohdoh attempted to kill the pilot at least by pull his blade up along the top of the cockpit block cleaving off the top hatch and the rear door along with one of the MSV blades now leaving the Lancelot with its one remaining sword.

But now combat conditions were more in Shirley's favor as her father's classic smile appeared on her face. All she had to do now was to wait for Suzaku and Tohdoh to move away from one another as Shirley was locking onto the Lancelot preparing to fire a fully charged and focused Hadron Cannon blast fully aware that the Lancelot's shields could deflect a glancing blow, but Shirley wasn't going to take any chances.

She can end it if she lands the first shot.

At this point Lelouch and Tohdoh along with Kallen were reeling from the shock finding out that the Lancelot's pilot was Suzaku the entire time. No matter, Tohdoh was a safe distance now…Shirley took aim and open fire with the Hadron Cannons pouring power into one powerful shot meant to wipe out the Lancelot in a single hit.

"You're mine Suzaku," Shirley declared as she pulled the trigger.

"SUZAKU LOOK OUT!" Cecile cried over an open communication channel as she saw the Gawain about to open fire.

Reacting on pure instinct the Lancelot dodged, but it was close. Shirley's shot was so close to engulfing the white machine, but it barely missed as the Lancelot's left arm was engulfed in the blast. Shirley was furious as her perfect shot just narrowly missed the white machine.

"NO!" Shirley roared in anger.

"What the hell," Kallen and Lelouch exclaimed as they looked upon the Gawain that was now in plain view of the Guren and the Burai Lelouch was piloting.

"Zero is that machine with us?" Chiba inquired.

"No, but it was fighting against the Britannian forces here…however," Lelouch began coming out of the state of shock he was in as he had no knowledge of the machine hovering in the air. It seemed like something Britannian would build, but so far it was actually helping them by fighting off the Britannian Forces. He did receive notice from Kyoto that a third party would be helping them in the prison break, but he wasn't given any details.

"Zero," Shirley spoke on an open channel to the Black Knight units. "Take Tohdoh and escape, I'll cover you and your forces while I deal with Kururugi."

"Who is this," Kallen demanded.

"I am Rei, but we'll have time for a formal introduction later. You all must escape now; I'll finish off the Lancelot."

The Gawain was taking aim as the Lancelot was considering attempt to chase down Zero and his allies, but the black Knightmare Frame opened fire stopping the Lancelot as the Black Knights made their escape. The Lancelot dodged the heat beams being shot at it, but with only one arm and a blade the Lancelot didn't have any real offensive options. Suzaku decided to take a risky gamble hurling its last sword like a spear at the Gawain, but Shirley fired a set of beams which consumed the blade completely vaporizing it.

Suddenly inside the cockpit Shirley looked at the power indicator and saw that the power levels were dropping and so the young woman couldn't risk firing the Hadron Cannons, especially if the young woman was chased by aerial units so she might need the last shot to wipe out any possible pursuers. However during her move to destroy the projectile flying at her Suzaku used the Slash Harkens on the Lancelot to latch onto the Gawain ramming the Lancelot's body into the airborne Knightmare Frame.

A Lelouch-style grinned appeared on her face as she seized the Lancelot in a bear hug right before taking the Gawain higher into the air.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious…I am taking the Lancelot high into sky before dumping him. There is no way he'll survive such a fall."

"I don't know about that, but you can't waste the last shot," Puck said seeing Shirley's move as the only way to possibly kill Suzaku.

Realizing the danger he was in Suzaku was fighting to break free, but the Knightmare Frame was trapped and it didn't have the means to break free. It wasn't long before Gawain had reached almost 2,000 feet before the black machine forced the Lancelot to let go sending the badly damaged machine into free fall. The machine was falling too quickly for its Slash Harkens to latch onto the Gawain again, but Suzaku fearful that the Lancelot was falling towards a residential area and resolved to at least have the Lancelot crash somewhere away from the area and avoid any civilian casualties from his fall.

Having dropped the Lancelot the Gawain quickly fled the area disappearing into the night sky.

With seconds before the Lancelot would hit the ground, Suzaku fired the machine's Slash Harkens at one of the wrecked towers of the prison. It was a risky move, but it paid off. The landing was rough, but slash-harken rapidly slowed down the Lancelot's fall. However it swung into the wall of the prison upon which the tower was built into damaging the Lancelot further yet it was salvageable and could be repaired. Suzaku otherwise would surprisingly live, but he wouldn't escape unharmed as he would suffer a broken right arm, bruising and a conclusion.

Shirley's attempt to kill Suzaku had failed, but she wasn't done…Puck had a back-up plan ready in the event he survived knowing what would happen next. If they couldn't kill him they would destroy him through other means.

* * *

><p>AN: Shirley's first attempt to take out Suzaku fails, but she was close to kill him twice. But given what a lucky bastard he is, despite actually wanting to die, Suzaku just refuses to die when others want him to. Of course having considered the possibility Puck the Lelouch A.I. has a backup plan already in place to take Suzaku down through other means if direct methods fail. Wait next chapter to find out what that method is and more as Lelouch begins investigating Rei and begins to notice something odd with C.C.

Thank you in advance for your reviews and input they are most welcomed.


	4. Chapter 4 Suspicions

A/N: well to make up for the long time I didn't post a chapter for this I decided to post chapter four which I came up with thanks to Holyknight5 and AlSmash. I don't intend for things to go easy for Lelouch despite his daughter from the future and an AI based upon the Demon Emperor Lelouch helping him. After all change one thing and a lot of other events will either change for the better…or for the worst.

Thanks for the reviews and without further delay here is chapter four.

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

Suspicions

Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean a submarine built-in the Militarized Zone of India, but it was going to be granted to the Order of the Black Knights however there was a purpose the submarine was going to fulfill first as the vessel was surfacing in the western area of the Pacific Ocean. On deck a young ten year old boy in chains wearing the tattered remains of a white regal robe was beginning to regain consciousness, but before he could he was shoved into a coffin made of polymer before narcotic gel was poured into it leaving the boy's face exposed.

At this time V.V. regained consciousness as Shirley wearing her own Zero suit stepped into view addressing the boy.

"Grand-uncle V.V. its pleasure to finally meet you," Shirley created as V.V. heard the seemingly mockingly electronically altered voice of Shirley.

"Who are…where am I?"

V.V. said as he was now aware of his current predicament as the cement has already tried leaving him completely immobilized.

"We are floating above the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. I must admit that explosion knocked you out for a lot longer than I had expected it would," Shirley answered.

"But," V.V. said as he was trying to remember just how he got to being in a polymer casket filled up to his face in narcotic gel while tightly bound in chains. The last thing he remembered was being inside his office at the Geass Order located in the Chinese Federation, specifically in the Tengger Desert. But then an explosion happened and then…nothing.

"I blew up the Geass Orders Headquarters along with its Thought Elevator just as I have been systematically destroying the other Thought Elevators worldwide. Now soon only the ones in the Britannian Homeland will remain, but sadly I can't get to those two at present. However you cannot start the Ragnarök Connection now can't you?"

Only three thought elevators remained, but soon Shirley would destroy the one by Japan with one of the remaining bombs produced for that purpose. But regardless any chance the Geass Order had at making the Ragnarök Connection and the Sword of Akasha work is now impossible." Shirley explained, but saw that the gel the immortal boy was placed into was already taking affect.

"It seems we cannot continue our conversation now," Shirley said before nodding to the men assisting her to fill the casket the rest of the way up before it was covered before it was sealed with heat. An extra measure was superheated bands of metal was wrapped around it providing further sealing and reinforcement for the casket. Then lastly the casket after cooling was lifted into a stone box with some wet cement inside. Once the casket was in the rest of it was filled up with quick drying cement entombing the immortal child. Once the cement was dry and after checking it over Shirley gave the order for the stone coffin to be dumped into the underwater trench where finding a recovering the immortal child would all but be impossible.

Inside her mask Shirley was grinning as the men she hired were cleaning up while she went down below into the submarine to prepare the next bomb for delivery and then preparation for detonation. Their next destination would be Kamine Island where the third to the last two remaining Thought Elevators remained, most of which were destroyed using F.L.E.I.J.A. bombs, but for the one in London the EU happily destroyed it for her using safer means of demolition. They didn't understand why, but they did it as a favor for the help Lady Morgana has provided them.

She now had two bombs left and one was being intended for a certain island.

"Time for some landscape redecorating in Kanejima", Shirley said with a smile before she thought.

_It would be amusing to see the face of Grandfather Charles as he gets the news of China alongside the report of the key Thought Elevator reduced to a hole in an island._

Five days had passed since the incident in Chofu and Shirley with Puck's help and their other preparations they had made before hand were used at last to remove V.V. and the Geass Order from the grand scheme of things. Everything she and Puck had prepared for and planned was playing out better than they could have hoped. It helped them even more that Katase was proving to be invaluable to the Li Xingke in China as they would soon restore the Empress to power.

_Three years of planning and preparation is finally paying off, but now only a few problems still remain and father's dream shall be realized. _

* * *

><p>(Two Days Later)<p>

The following morning after recovering from his fight with the Gawain at Chofu last week Suzaku Kururugi had come to the Viceroy's Palace for a special, but unexpected ceremony meant for him and Euphemia in a sense. The ceremony hall was as spacious as a palatial ballroom, but in fact previous under Viceroy Clovis it had served as a ballroom but Cornelia had no interest in such soirees. As a result parties were becoming an endangered species in Area 11. For the record it wasn't that Cornelia couldn't dance it was just that she didn't like prancing around in a feminine dress. In fact rumor was that the only person who ever got Cornelia into a frilly dress was her younger sister Euphemia.

Cornelia was absent from this event as well as her younger sister Euphemia li Britannia Third Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire was about to bestow a great honor commanded the stage alone. Exquisite formal attire bedecked her figure. Her serene girl-like facial features were intense and serious, focused, before the room of capitalist, aristocrats and high-ranking military officials, each dressed in their personal finest. A short time later at that moment at a guard's orders the double doors of the ceremony room opened. Backlit by the sun shining behind him stood a boy. He too, was dressed in his finest, but it wasn't a military uniform or even the pilot suit he wore while piloting the Lancelot. But the uniform he was wearing was a pure white suit, attire reserved for knights of the Britannian Forces alone. The formality of the uniform he wore threatened to overwhelm his youthful face, but Suzaku boldly stepped forward into the room. Reaching the bottom of the stairs paying no mind to glares and look of disapproval from the gathered crowd Suzaku Kururugi bowed his head as Euphemia began to recite the ceremonial words.

"Suzaku Kururugi, Wilt thou upon this day pledge thy fealty to Britannia and stand as a knight of the crown?"

"Yes your highness," Suzaku replied quietly with his head still lowered.

"Dost thou wish to abandon thyself and be sword and shield for the sake of justice?"

"Yes your highness," Suzaku said as he drew the ritual sword from the scabbard on his waist and presented it to Euphemia with both hands that accepted the sword and patted both shoulders of the young man before her with the flat side of the blade.

Euphy breathed a sigh of relief, but only Suzaku heard her before she said.

"I, Euphemia li Britannia, take you Suzaku Kururugi to be my knight."

When it was over Suzaku accepted the sword back and sheathed it before rising to turn and face the crowd. Normally people would applaud, but the entire crowd was silent for a few moments until his own superior Lloyd Asplund began clapping. Unfortunately no one joined him, but that quickly changed when Chief of State and by extension Cornelia's emissary for this event Andres Dalton began clapping. Now no one felt bold enough to ignore this and soon with a little hesitation the room applauded.

But the mood in the room changed as a louder clapping was heard while a panel in the ceiling opened up and a ceiling hung 90-inch flat screen monitor was lowered. It turned on revealing a woman wearing a regal Victorian style dress, white gloves in conjunction with the dress covered every inch of her body with blonde hair groomed into Renaissance style curls while upon her face was a white metallic mask that left her lower jaw exposed giving the woman the appearance of a life-sized doll.

"Congratulations Kururugi," Lady Morgana spoke as at that moment the F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb planted at Kaminejima Island (Kamine Island) detonated taking out the island along with a good part of Shikine Island destroying the garrison base.

Dalton was already speaking to the guards through a wireless device on his ear, but the explosion that had happened already had the military scrambling to deal with the massive explosion they had detected. Which for Lady Morgana or rather Puck speaking through them using a computer generated model of the so called Lady Morgana which would hide her identity and confuse the Britannian forces to her identity.

"Princess Euphemia, allow me to introduce myself I am Lady Morgana. I must say your choice of a Knight is an interesting one considering your stance. But you are nothing but a selfish child who serves as nothing more than a pretty billboard for your older sister you have no real power you are just a tool for her to use."

"That is not true!" Euphemia interjected.

"You try to see good in Britannia, the same Britannia commanded by Charles, the same Emperor that covered up the real murderers of Lady Marianne. The same Empire that has cast out all who truly believed in honor and justice," Lady Morgana said causing Euphy to pause allowing Morgana to continue. "I would support you, if not because I can't let good intentions to guide this world or you to a Hell of Britannia's own creation. Although it's oddly fitting that you choose Suzaku Kururugi. After all, he also sought peace. Wouldn't be such a good example that in order to prevent the rebellion and the death of Japanese people, he killed his own father?"

A murmur of shock spread through the crowd while Suzaku's face went white.

"Yes, Suzaku Kururugi, in search of the ideal of peace in his mind, murdered his own flesh and blood."

Euphemia and Dalton were stunned, but no one realized that the entire conversation was being witnessed by everyone in the Empire. Lelouch nearly choked on his drink while he had been watching the ceremony on the news while Nunnally was shocked, but Shirley was in her room smiling at Puck's handiwork. Suzaku was horrified and didn't want to dishonor Euphemia by speaking out of turn, but the look on his face was enough for everyone watching to know it was true.

"By now every news network and other interested parties are receiving packets of data and information proving what I say is true, but it's also interest to note that he did take part in the slaughter of the Shinjuku Ghetto where hundreds if not thousands of his own people were killed in cold blood where his actions hindered the Black Knights almost costing them their lives. I do wonder if Zero would have bothered saving you if he was aware of your involvement in those incidents." Morgana said as Suzaku looked as if someone was brining the entire world down around him.

But Morgana didn't stop as her attacks kept coming.

"He's the epitome of an Honorary Britannian. Forsaking country, blood and Family, all in pos of achieving the Pax Britannia for the world, your sisters' doubts should be assailed with this, after all who can be better than the boy that sold Japan to Britannia in a single blow?"

"Suzaku hasn't sold out-," Euphemia began intending to not allow this to go on.

"EUPHY STOP IT!"

Euphemia stopped herself, whirling around to the source of the voice, where Suzaku kept his head, down, but his fists were balled up. The nobles were stunned at the sudden interruption, no one dared talk over a member of the royalty, and this Honorary Britannian had the gall to tell said royalty to be quiet.

"You're right," Suzaku begin, his voice finding some strength in the fact that he could speak at all, the storm of emotions in his mind parting ways and providing clarity, "I did kill my father."

Morgana arched an eyebrow in surprise, even for an AI such as Puck; he still had the mind of Lelouch, and to say he was interested in the sudden spine that Suzaku had found.

"But I killed my father, because the man was hell-bent on the destruction of Japan," Suzaku continued, his head raising up, staring down the specter before him, "You know what he said to his advisors when faced with the destruction of Japan? He said that it was more honorable that Japan and its people become ashes than to bow its head to a foreign oppressor. Even as his advisors begged him to give in, he chose bitter resistance. Here I am as a ten-year old boy, full of idealism and naiveté, watching my father declare that everyone I know and cared for, should DIE for the sake of his pride. I chose to kill my father, because at least people can go on living, maybe my generation would know the yoke of slavery, but maybe, just maybe, we would become coequal to Britannians one day, the precedent was there."

His head snapped up, eyes focused and determined.

"I have lived with the consequences of my actions every single day since then. I have sought penance for the most egregious of sins, patricide. There have been days when I have sought death on the battlefield because of the shame of my actions. Yet, to kill myself so foolishly would only prove that I was too cowardly to face my acts," Suzaku said as he pressed his counter attack. "To waste my life would further dishonor myself, but would also dishonor the people I chose to save. That is why I chose to join the Honorary Britannian System, not because of concerns of honor or because I want to betray anyone, but because I believe, like Princess Euphemia, that we can change, that Britannia can change and create a better place for Area 11. That if we choose to work with Britannia and show what the Japanese," Suzaku declared which would lead to a further gasp in the crowd, "people, are capable of, and then we can earn back our identity. Is it a popular decision? Of course, to Japan, I am a traitor, a thrice damned man, I've betrayed my father, my country, and my people. But do you honestly believe the Black Knights are the salvation that Japan is looking for? They claim to fight for the weak, yet look at the massacre at Narita; they chose to backstab the Japanese Liberation Front and killed several thousand innocent civilians, Britannian and Japanese alike."

"What about Shinjuku Ghetto?"

"What about it," Suzaku responded, angrily, "the terrorists chose to steal a poison gas capsule," a lie he knew, but if Morgana, who seemed to have inside knowledge on a lot of things, chose to pursue it, she would isolate herself by the level of knowledge, "then HIDE themselves in the civilian population. They didn't have the dignity or honor to fight; instead they chose to turn the civilian population of the Shinjuku Ghetto into a human shield for their cowardice. An undecidedly un-Japanese thing, don't you think?"

"What about the slaughtering of innocent civilians in your mad quest to stop them? They knew nothing, and you chose to massacre them. It was only Zero's intervention that stopped it."

Suzaku set his jaw as Morgana shot back, but she made a mistake Suzaku wasn't going to miss as he thought.

_Keep it cool Suzaku, now you have her on the defensive._

"I find it interesting that you do not deny the fact that the terrorists used the civilians as human shields, knowing exactly what the former overzealous Britannian administration would do. If one thought about it, it almost seems like Zero wanted Britannia to massacre those people. Maybe the truth of the matter was that Zero was responsible for stealing the poison gas, then chose to hide in the Shinjuku Ghetto safe in the knowledge that the zealotry of Prince Clovis and General Bartley in protecting Britannians, would cause them to resort to extreme measures. After all, massacres tend to create warm bodies for a cause."

"That is not what Zero," Morgana began before Suzaku interrupted her.

"Oh Zero is it now? Thank you Lady Morgana, you have just proven exactly who you are for everyone here, that you are nothing more than a mouthpiece for Zero and the Black Knights. Answer me Lady Morgana, you sit there, comfortable wherever you are hiding sniping your opponents without the honor and dignity to impugn the Princess in person, faced with the idea of destruction through revolt from outside, or orderly reform from the inside? What do you chose?"

Morgana's face tightened as her voice demonstrated although the face wasn't real, and Suzaku, sensed the opening and leaped. But the murmuring from the nobles were rising, because Suzaku spoke with his answer

"I choose reform," his voice rose, "It is better to reform the system, than revolt from the outside and face death and destruction once Britannia loses its patience with Area 11 and chooses to institute even harsher means of punishment for the people caught in the middle. To me, the Black Knights, and the terrorist entities that choose to resist are no better than the decision to my father to damn the lives of millions simply because they are incapable of changing. Britannia's stance is one of Darwinism, either you adapt, or you die. Japan needs to adapt to its situation in order to survive, maybe for now as Area 11, not fight against a juggernaut that if it feel so, can grind what little resistance Japan can muster into dust if it ever decided to be serious. Japan's pride has always rested upon its capability for honor and dignity, let's use that strength to forge our destiny, instead of damn us to annihilation."

"Yet you have no power to change the system," Morgana shot back.

"For now," Euphy's voice rang out, "for now he has no power. Yet, look at him, not three months ago, he was nothing more than another Eleven in the eyes of Britannia, yet he is now my Knight of Honor."

"His accomplishments are noteworthy to be sure, but the problem remains. You are not Viceroy your sister is who is for better or worse a hardliner for the Discrimination Policy, which let me remind you is the national policy of your nation to discriminate those not born a pureblood Britannian. Cornelia would never allow you to make such changes and even if you did the only way you could is if you became Empress. Even if you became Viceroy you would be opposed by the hardliner nobles of the Empire."

"Why do you think Cornelia is here in the first place," Euphemia shot back, "she's here because of Zero, the Black Knights, and the other terrorist entities that are destabilizing Japan? Because of Zero, he has placed the Honorary Britannian System in jeopardy with his selfish decisions. Was the previous administration perfect? Of course not, you're demanding perfection from flawed human beings. However, before Prince Clovis, what did Area 11 have? It had nothing except provincial, racist; governors who worked hard to subjugate Area 11 instead of rebuild it. Area 11 had seen its first major reform in the Honorary Britannian System, but Zero has damaged it with one single gunshot. Of course Britannia would push back for the death of one of its nobles, any monarchy would."

Puck for once had no counter for that, but Euphemia wasn't backing down.

Her arms spread out in a motion, "but look at it now, Lady Morgana, despite the policies, the blowback for the actions of Zero, we are here celebrating an Eleven, no, a Japanese man, rising to the highest rank a non-Britannian has ever achieved in the fastest PACE Britannia has ever seen. He is not only a Knight, but a Britannian Knight of Honor, a rank just below a Knight; he is the fourth highest ranked member in Britannian society, below only the Emperor, the Knights of the Round, and the Nobles. Tell me could you have foreseen this on any day? Of course not, but it is a sign that Britannia is changing. Slowly, but surely, Sir Kururugi stated that Britannia is about adapting or dying, that is what Britannia is doing in the face of a changing world, we are adapting to the changing concepts of what numbers offer us as a people, Japan is the test bed, as Prince Clovis had hoped to do."

Euphemia's hands fell to her side, "Britannia has prided itself on the independence of each Viceroy, able to make decisions without having to report to the Emperor unless something goes wrong or suspicion befalls. So I put forward to you, no, I put forward to Zero and the rest of the Japanese resistance. If you truly value a Japan that can return to its former place of power, except now hand-in-hand with Britannia, then I beseech you, put down your arms. If you want to strengthen the ties between Britannia and Japan, and then stop batting away the hand is trying to pick you back up, of course we put you there, but it is in no one's interest that Japan remains what it is now. If you put down your arms, my sister, Princess Cornelia has no reason to be here. If you put down your arms, then this experiment can continue. These resistant groups have some excellent points, instead of an exercise in futility that will only result in unnecessary death, reach out to people who do care."

Morgana was quiet for a moment, and then she laughed clapping her hands.

"A noble cause, naïve but noble," she said before adding, "Good luck then. Maybe you can change things. If not," she shrugged, smiling a smile that caused Euphy's heart to stop as a flash of recognition shot through her, "you'll most certainly be hearing from me laughing at you."

* * *

><p>The broadcast ended as well as Lelouch was left in shock while C.C. as normal was passive about the whole thing. It wasn't long before he got a phone call from Ohgi. Reacting quickly Lelouch picked up the phone to speak to his second in command.<p>

"This is Zero," Lelouch began speaking to Ohgi over the phone. "Yes I just saw the news…no I knew nothing of this, but either way I think we must step up our staff meeting to today if possible. I agree, but…what…I see…well I want to not only meet her but I am curious to hear her explanation for her actions. I'll meet you at the usual place and then we'll rendezvous with the others."

After hanging up the phone Lelouch prepared his bag containing the Zero costume as he was about to leave.

"Something wrong," C.C. inquired.

"Not exactly, but this sudden revelation has…well I think you can imagine the reactions."

"What about you?"

"Not important," Lelouch snapped changing the subject. "Besides I guess Kyoto has passed along to Ohgi that this Rei is ready to finally meet us face to face as she promised over a week ago."

"So what will you do?"

"Isn't it obvious I intend to find out her intentions, but," Lelouch began but he didn't finish that sentence. The former prince has been going over what has happened at Chofu ever since the Gawain's appearance and he was trying to piece together a few things that caught his attention. For one thing Lelouch wanted to know how his plans for dealing with the Lancelot and rescuing Kyoshiro Tohdoh got leaked to Rei and Kyoto.

_It isn't just a leak, but someone not only planned out a massive jail break for other prisoners with Kyoto supporting the plan. But someone had obviously prepared well in advance before Tohdoh was even imprisoned._

The only conclusion Lelouch could reach was that someone who was not only aware of his plans, but somehow knew far in advance how certain events was going to play out that night. His counter plans he had for the Lancelot he didn't share with anyone that night until the Lancelot had appeared so how did Rei know about them.

_Unless this Rei was a time traveler I can't fathom how anyone could have organized and set up a daring plan like that which took advantage of my own plans for that night. _

But there was something that caught Lelouch's attention, he remembered how C.C. was no longer tapping his saving to buy pizzas, so the question was who was providing her with a pizza fund? He didn't think C.C. would sell her out to the Britannians but someone was clearly in contact with her and the question was who. Lelouch knew trying to ask C.C. wasn't going to work so he would need another way to find out the truth; however Lelouch needed to contend with one issue at a time first.

* * *

><p>Later that day Cornelia li Britannia in response to what has happened during the Knighting Ceremony and at Chofu the week before the Viceroy summoned Lloyd, Suzaku and Euphemia to her office for a discussion about both matters. Suzaku was recovering so she had spoken to Lloyd in private about the matter involving the Gawain which she found out was a prototype Knightmare Frame developed by Britannia which had been at the Toromo Institute, but when the facility was mysteriously destroyed the unit was presumed destroyed as well.<p>

Lloyd briefed Cornelia on what happened, after receiving instructions from his sponsor to tell the Viceroy some of the more classified details surrounding the incident in Cambodia which had been kept quiet within the Empire. She didn't want to see Suzaku, but given what happened she did want an explanation about the exact nature of Genbu Kururugi's demise.

"Major Kururugi I want to know your exact reasons for killing your own father, somehow I doubt you committed such an act without good reason considering your profile and I have taken what you said into account," Cornelia said cutting to the chase.

"I thought it was the only way to stop him, his call for do-or-die resistance would result in Japan's destruction," Suzaku replied after a moment of hesitation.

"I see," Cornelia said wondering if that was the only reason. "I suppose that is true. Given Japan's importance to the rest of the world at the time had the war between our country and Japan dragged on the EU and the Chinese Federation would have intervened. The resulting fighting would have likely destroyed Japan in the process, or at least inflict far more devastation to the country than the one month war with our country did. But I assume some members of the government covered this up and claimed he committed suicide instead."

"That is correct your highness," Suzaku replied while Euphemia was worried about him. Cornelia studied Suzaku for a moment noticing the obvious guilt on his face, but she was wondering if there was something else that might have motivated him to kill Genbu other than the war destroying Japan.

"I see," Cornelia began deciding not to ask of Suzaku anymore for now, but she intended on having the matter investigated. "Next question regarding the stolen Gawain you fought with, Major Asplund I hope you have something that could aid our forces in dealing with it?"

"Nothing at the moment, but new replacement parts for the Lancelot should be arriving along with a new attachment for it. However it will take time before I have something capable of countering its Hadron Cannons."

"From what my brother has told me those cannons were originally incomplete."

"Yes your highness, but I am not sure how the enemy has managed to get them functioning properly."

"All the more reason we need to contain them, but this Lady Morgana who appeared is a much larger concern than Zero." Cornelia began remembering the discussion she was having with Schneizel right before Lady Morgana appeared during the ceremony broadcast. "According to my brother this Lady Morgana has been the name of the person a lot of the trouble our forces fighting the EU war has been facing. A growing number of our recent setbacks in that region have been attributed to her, but the problem is we know almost nothing about this person other than her name…we're not sure if this Lady Morgana is even a woman. Furthermore there is the giant explosion near Shikine Island that happened right before the broadcast. Its size and destructive yield is similar to what destroyed the Toromo Institute."

"Likely there is a connection then," Lloyd remarked off-hand.

"You two are dismissed, but Sub-Viceroy Euphemia I need to speak with you in private," Cornelia said as all two left the Viceroy's office.

Euphemia swallowed hard knowing this conversation wasn't going to end well.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere another meeting was taking place, but instead it was happening at Port Yokosuka, a major seaport situated south of the Tokyo Concession where about not too long ago was the site of the battle where the tanker commanded by the remains of the Japan Liberation Front attempted to escape Area 11 in a tanker full of Liquid Sakuradite. Lelouch as Zero was currently aboard a similar tanker with Diethard, Kallen, Ohgi and Tohdoh accompanying them while agents from Kyoto showed into the depths of the ship were inside to their surprise found a submarine concealed inside.<p>

"A whole submarine, but how did they sneak this here," Kallen exclaimed with surprise on her face.

"Kyoto probably helped out with that, but I imagine there was some third-party involvement as well," Zero remarked as everyone crossed a boarding ramp leading to the submarine.

Once everyone was onboard they were led to a conference room where they were expecting to see Rei, but there was no sign of the woman. However Rakshata Chawla was present in the room instead having been patiently waiting for them. The Guren Mk-II's creator was there, but still no sign of Rei prompting Lelouch to inquire.

"Rakshata, is Rei here?"

"Not exactly, but she will be speaking soon. However on their submarine is the Gawain she used during the Chofu incident a week ago."

"The Gawain…you mean that large Knightmare Frame," Tohdoh asked.

"Yes, she is giving it to you Zero."

"Rei-san merely felt that the Gawain, while good, merely didn't fit her style and sent it to you Zero as a gift, a good faith gesture."

Suddenly a beeping from the wall monitor alerted her to an incoming transmission.

"That must be her right now?"

Rakshata used a remote in her pocket to open up the video conference as the masked face of Rei appeared before the Black Knights as everyone noticed the similarities to her and Zero.

"Zero I must say it's a proud honor to meet you face to face," Rei spoke while Shirley was smiling under her mask.

"I was hoping we would actually meet face to face," Lelouch said calmly.

"I do apologize, but I have been rather busy. I am your biggest fan and all I do is to see your rebellion succeed."

"Is that so, but do you wear a mask because like me you are not Japanese?"

"Yes and no…I wouldn't look it, but I am a quarter Japanese," Rei replied.

"How did you know what really happened to Genbu Kururugi, did Kirihara tell you?" Tohdoh asked almost instantly.

"He didn't tell me, but I was fully aware of what happened yes. As for how I knew you wouldn't believe me if I tried to explain it. Lady Morgana has the details, but she couldn't be here either."

"I see, so then I would like to request a meeting with her then." Zero demanded.

"Very well, but for now there is something I must show all of you. Rakshata if you would please," Rei asked as the screen cut out.

"Follow me gentlemen."

A short time later the Indian Scientist leads the group to the spacious hanger where the Gawain currently rested, but it wasn't the only machine. Near it was another machine, but it wasn't a mass-produced Knightmare Frame but an original machine. It was unusual, but it had an identical color scheme to the Gawain and its limbs seemed longer and slightly curved and more streamlined compared to Knightmare Frames like the Sutherland and Glasgow.

In the room were seven other machines that bore a resemblance to the Gekka, but were slightly different.

"The black machine next to the Gawain is the Type-0/0A Shinkirou, an Eighth Generation Knightmare Frame. It's unique because of three things, one is its transformation ability to assume a jet-fighter like form and can even function as a mini-sub. Second as a command-type Knightmare Frame it has the Gawain's Druid Analysis Complex System, but the one in the Shinkirou is an improved version. Third thanks to the Druid System one can manage the machine's advance energy shield defense system and its structural phase transition cannon, so any questions," Rakshata explained.

"You said eighth generation," Lelouch asked.

"Yes it is…a benefactor provided me with blueprints of advanced systems and such. Kyoto now it's quickly refurbishing the Gekka production lines here and in India, to mass-produce the Akatsuki Knightmare Frame. It's a matter of weeks to a month to have an entire army of Knightmare Frames superiors in every level to everything that Britannia has in the field and will have for a time."

"I see so Rei or rather this Lady Morgana she works for is this so called benefactor. But how could have design that machine for my use?"

"I am not entering sure, but it will match your piloting skills and should serve you very well as a commander's unit. Its battleship-class defense shields should be a big help."

"I see," Lelouch said while he was giving it some thought.

"Also for my beloved child the Guren I have made a new Radiant Wave Surger weapon. It's much more powerful bombardment arm, which can fire microwaves in a ranged beam or in a wide-area burst that can short out enemy machines caught within it. And I even have a new Float System back unit for it to enable atmospheric flight and it houses missiles that can be used."

"Are you kidding me," Kallen began as she saw the new arm meant for her machine along with the new component parts.

"The new head unit I have brought has a new type of defense shield it will be able to use; it's called Radiant Wave Shielding based on the same technology which the Guren's primarily weapon is based upon."

"What is under here?" Ohgi asked noticing a Knightmare Frame under a tarp.

"That is an incomplete unit, but it's meant for Rei-san."

"Incomplete, but what kind of unit is it?"

"There isn't much to talk about right now, but all the things you could add to it," Rakshata whined, "there's so many things that make it even better."

"I only want to know what its specs are," Ohgi inquired, but Rakshata wasn't going to stay anything.

"But if you just give me some more time I will probably show the Shingetsu."

"Anyway," Lelouch began before adding. "I would still like to meet Rei at least in person."

"You'll meet her when the time is right." Rakshata answered causally much to frustration of some of the others while Lelouch thought.

_But where is she anywhere, what could be more important than meeting with me?_

* * *

><p>Back at Ashford Academy; C.C. and Shirley Lamperouge were both having a private meeting in Lelouch's room at the student clubhouse. The two women were enjoying a large pizza together while going over some documents and some photos of Lelouch and Kallen.<p>

"I wonder how it will all work out."

"What do you mean?" Shirley asked of her partner in crime.

"Kallen adores Zero, but she hates Lelouch…what will happen when she discovers they are one and the same?"

"Well we need to smooth things out between Lelouch and Kallen then, but what exactly are Kallen's feelings for my future dad?"

"I am not sure, but I could find out for you," C.C. said with a grin.

"Ok, but once we know what she feels for my dad how do we pair them together?"

"I am not exactly the matchmaker type, but maybe we should seek some professional help," C.C. said with a classic Cheshire Cat grin as she was looking at one Milly Ashford outside the Club House.

* * *

><p>AN: despite Puck's attempt to wreck Suzaku's reputation from backfiring it has triggered an unforeseen change in events which could have consequences for everyone. What will Euphy and Cornelia discuss and now that the Black Knights are getting more advance and improved Knightmare Frames including new upgrade parts for the Guren and a new machine for Lelouch to potentially use besides the Gawain it's all going to boil down to what will happen next and how will Charles react when he finds out his plan to kill god has been all but ruined.

So much has changed now, but will the positive results Puck and Shirley Lamperouge be reached or will tragedy follow in their wake.

Thanks in advance for the reviews.


End file.
